Psychosocial risk management

Health and safety risks to workers include both physical and psychological injury risk. In relation to work a psychosocial risk is an adverse workplace interaction or condition of work that compromises your health and wellbeing.

In general, undertaking work activities are accepted to be good for your psychological and physical wellbeing. However, there are aspects of work that, if not appropriately managed, have the potential to negatively affect an individual’s mental health, sense of wellbeing, physical health, as well as the effectiveness of an organization to fulfil its operational requirements.

What is psychological safety?

A psychologically healthy and safe workplace is defined as one that:

promotes your mental health and wellbeing
protects mental health by reducing work-related risk factors, and
works to prevent mental illness and injury from occurring.

Psychological safety within a team is an important foundation to address workplace hazards, and to foster a culture of learning, teamwork and continuous improvement. It is the shared belief that you can speak up, make suggestions and admit mistakes without fear of being humiliated or punished. A psychologically safe environment is not one that is risk free, but one where concerns or ideas can be raised with confidence they will be respectfully considered or responded to by team members.

Understanding psychosocial hazards

Types of psychosocial hazards:

High and/or low job demands
- Sustained or intense high levels of physical, mental or emotional job demands which are excessive, unreasonable or chronically exceed workers’ capacity; or sustained very low levels of mental demands from the job (e.g. monotonous work).
  Examples: time pressure, role overload, unachievable deadlines, high vigilance, challenging work hours or shift work, unrealistic expectations to be responsive outside work hours.
Low job control
- Workers having little or no control over what happens in their work environment, how or when their work is done or the objectives they work towards.
  Examples: excessive monitoring of work tasks and/or breaks; unpredictable working hours; little or no involvement or input into decisions that affect workers; insecure or precarious work, or work that involves uncertainty over the length of the job rolling fixed-term contract work.
Poor support
- Tasks or jobs where workers have inadequate emotional and/or practical support from supervisors and/or co-workers; inadequate training or information to support their work performance; or inadequate tools, equipment or resources to do the job.
  Examples: poorly maintained or inadequate access to equipment/tools or supervisory support, lack of functional or adequate IT systems, limited opportunities to engage with co-workers during the work shift.
Low role clarity
- Jobs where there is uncertainty about, or frequent changes to, tasks and work standards; where important task information is not available to workers; or where there are conflicting job roles, responsibilities, or expectations.
  Examples: a worker being given multiple priority tasks from different managers, a worker being given conflicting information about work standards and performance expectations.
Poor organisational change management
- Organisational change management that is poorly planned, communicated, supported, or managed.
  Examples: not consulting workers on changes in the workplace that affect them, lack of practical support for workers during implementation of workplace changes.
Low reward and recognition
- Jobs where there is an imbalance between workers’ effort and recognition or rewards, both formal and informal.
  Examples: not being recognised for extra effort or commitment, no reasonable opportunities for career development.
Poor organisational justice
- A lack of procedural fairness (fair processes to reach decisions), informational fairness (keeping relevant people informed), or interpersonal fairness (treating people with dignity and respect).
  Example: inconsistent, unfair, discriminatory or inequitable decisions and application of policies or procedures.
Poor workplace relationships including interpersonal conflict
- Poor relationships or conflict between workers, managers, supervisors, coworkers or others with whom workers are required to interact. Frequent or excessive disagreements, disparaging or rude comments, either from one person or multiple people.
  Examples: Unresolved and excessive conflict regarding work tasks, processes, customers, interpersonal issues.
Remote or isolated work
- Work that is isolated from the assistance of other persons because of location, time, or the nature of the work. Isolated work includes work where there are no or few other people around or where workers are required to live away from home for extended periods.
  Examples: workers who spend a lot of time travelling (e.g. driving); workers working alone from home or socially isolated away from home over protracted periods of time.
Poor environmental conditions
- Exposure to hazardous work environments that create a stress response.
  Examples: work environments that involve poor air quality, high or nuisance noise levels, extreme temperatures, or uncontrolled biological hazards (e.g. blood or bodily fluids or infectious pathogens).
Traumatic events
- Investigating, witnessing, or being exposed to traumatic events. This may include reading, hearing or seeing accounts of traumatic events.
  Examples: witnessing or investigating fatalities, serious injuries, abuse, neglect or serious incidents; being exposed to extreme effects of natural disasters or seriously injured people.
Violence and aggression
- Any incident where a person is abused, threatened, or assaulted at work or while they are carrying out work. This includes abuse, threats or assaults by workers, clients, patients, visitors, or others.
  Examples: Biting, spitting, kicking, throwing objects, using or threatening to use a weapon, verbal abuse and threats, aggressive behaviour such as yelling, or physical intimidation.
Bullying
- Repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety. This includes bullying by workers, clients, patients, visitors, or others.
  Examples: repeated incidents of practical jokes or initiation, spreading misinformation or malicious rumours, belittling or humiliating comments, being verbally denigrated or threatened.
Harassment including sexual harassment
- Harassment in relation to personal characteristics such as age, disability, race, sex, relationship status, family responsibilities, sexual orientation, gender identity, or intersex status. Sexual harassment - any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that is done either to offend, humiliate or intimidate another person, or where it is reasonable to expect the person might feel that way
  Examples: telling insulting jokes about particular racial groups; making derogatory comments or taunts about someone’s disability; asking intrusive questions about a person’s body; staring, leering or unwelcome touching; sexual or suggestive comments, jokes or innuendo; unnecessary familiarity, such as deliberately brushing up against a person.

Reporting psychosocial hazards and incidents

Reports should be made of hazards or incidents related to actual or potential psychological harm.

If you believe harm to you or others may be caused by the demands of your work, the work environment, workplace processes or how people behave in the workplace please report these issues. It is always best to raise issues early and locally where possible so they can be addressed in a timely way. You can

raise them with your supervisor if you are comfortable to do so, or
raise them with another appropriate person such as your HR client partner or your local HSW co-ordinator.

Reporting in UQSafe

Psychosocial hazards and incidents should be reported in UQSafe; even if a hazard is an inherent part of the role (for example emotional demanding tasks) it can still be reported in UQSafe. The process of reporting and assessing can assist with reviewing existing controls to ensure that they are controlled as best as reasonably practicable.

Restricted reports can be submitted in UQSafe. If this option is selected the report will be received by senior HSW Division leaders only. More information on Reporting in UQSafe and Complaints Management System.

Enquiries about some types of hazards and incidents may be conducted in partnership with HR or be led by HR. For hazards and incidents related to bullying, discrimination, sexual misconduct and other matters involving the conduct of others in the workplace, HR will take a lead role. Depending on the nature of the matter, referral may be made to the Integrity Unit.

Reporting in the Complaints Management System

Bullying, discrimination, sexual misconduct or other workplace misconduct matters may be submitted in the Complaints Management System for investigation by the Integrity Unit.

Anonymous reports can be submitted in the Complaints Management System but note this may make investigation of reported matters difficult. More information on Reporting in UQSafe and Complaints Management System.

Quick guides for managing psychosocial hazards

Workplace factors that may contribute to psychological injuries include

elements of the work environment
management practices
the way that work is organised or designed.

The following list provides some quick guides on the types of psychosocial hazards and good practice tips:

For more information about psychological safety and the types of psychosocial risks, read the UQ psychological safety and wellbeing guide.

Psychosocial risk assessments

As part of effective risk management UQ workplaces are required to undertake risk assessments for psychosocial hazards relevant in their work area. These hazards may be present in teams, processes or work activities, or the work environment for example. Psychosocial hazards should also be considered in broader risk assessments for projects, tasks or events. Risk assessments should be entered into UQSafe-Risk.

UQ Tip Sheet: Psychosocial Risk Assessment
UQ Psychosocial Risk Assessment Supporting tool
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) Psychosocial Risk Assessment tool
Enterprise Goverance and Risk: Risk Matrix

People at Work

The People at Work program is a risk management process developed to identify, assess and manage psychosocial hazards.

This approach follows a five step process to identify, assess and control risks to psychological health at work. Part of this approach is implementing the People at Work survey in work areas. This survey is a validated psychosocial risk assessment survey and assesses psychosocial risks and factors.

Managing psychosocial risks

Psychosocial risks must be managed in the same systematic way as other workplace health and safety risks. The Managing the risk of psychosocial hazards at work Code of Practice 2022 provides practical guidance on how to meet obligations under the WHS Act (2011) in relation to psychosocial risk management.

The Code emphasises the importance of applying the hierarchy of controls to work-related psychosocial hazards, as you would with physical hazards. This ensures higher order- or more effective- control measures are implemented in the first instance wherever possible rather than relying predominantly on methods such as adminstrative controls. All of these steps must be supported by consultation.

Taking Action-Example Controls

WHSQ has produced a helpful guideline that outlines control measures to support eliminating or minimising psychosocial hazards.

UQ psychological supports and interventions

Ideally, work related factors influencing your psychological wellbeing should be addressed at the primary or organisational level. However, in addition to managing psychosocial risk, best practice for mentally healthy workplaces also includes:

promotion of individual health and wellbeing
early intervention for staff with health factors impacting on work
support, recovery and return to work options.

Our UQ resources include:

2024-25 'Psychological Health and Safety Master Action Plan'

The UQ Psychological Health and Safety Master Action Plan is a collaborative plan that integrates inter-connected issues arising from HSW psychosocial risks and Respect at Work obligations. This plan contains short term, medium term and long term actions with full implementation by the end of Q4 2025.

View the UQ Psychological Health and Safety Master Action Plan

The UQ Psychological Health Statement provides more information - outlining the genesis of the Master Action Plan, and strategies that have been and are being undertaken to manage psychosocial risks. This includes the working groups and governance structure overseeing identified actions.

View the UQ Psychological Health Statement

Sexual harassment and sex or gender-based harassment

Prevention of sexual harassment and sex or gender-based harassment

The Queensland Government amended the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 in September 2024 to clarify that employers need to manage the risk of sexual harassment and sex or gender-based harassment, and take a proactive approach to prevent harm. Where there is a risk of harm, employers must have a documented Prevention plan.

Since the release in 2017 of an Australian Human Rights Commission report into sexual misconduct at Australian Universities, UQ has worked on developing a Strategic Framework and Action Plan to build a safe and respectful environment. This work has been led by the Vice-Chancellor's Advisory Group for Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response with the Sexual Misconduct Support Unit.

UQ enterprise level risk assessments for sexual harassment and sex or gender-based harassment outline our strategies to prevent harm and reduce the risk of harm as low as reasonably practicable. Local business unit risk assessments and events based assessments should be utilised as relevant to identify and specify local controls where tasks and activities may cause risk.

To read more:

Strategic Framework and Action Plan for Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response
2024-2027 Action Plan for Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response. Consultation for the development of the action plan was open from February 2023 to July 2024. Consultation occurred with VC Advisory Committee on Sexual Misconduct, UQ Union, Student Services, and three separate working groups – Student focused (chaired by PVC teaching and learning), HDR student focused (chaired by Dean of Graduate School) and Psychosocial Integrated Working Group (co-chaired by CHRO and Director HSW). Members of the working groups were invited to share the plan with their networks. Health and Safety representatives were invited to comment on the plan in November 2024.
2023 annual report: Sexual misconduct prevention and response
Risk assessments - Enterprise level Sexual harassment and Sex or Gender-based Harassment (staff and student)

Resources and supports

Psychosocial Risk Assessment Resources

UQ Tip Sheet: Psychosocial Risk Assessment
UQ Psychosocial Risk Assessment Supporting tool
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) Psychosocial Risk Assessment tool
Enterprise Goverance and Risk: Risk Matrix

Managing psychosocial risks

Psychosocial Hazards- Guidance Material for Managers
Summary poster: Psychosocial Hazards for Supervisors (PDF, 241.3 KB) (developed by EAIT)
Webinar - Managing psychosocial risks for healthier and more productive workplaces (presented by Sam Popple for Safe Work Month 2024)
Workday training module: Understanding and Managing Psychosocial Risk for Supervisors

Additional Support or referral options

Local Human Resources representative or Ask HR;
- HR representatives are able to provide support and advice around workplace concerns, for example issues relating to bullying/harassment, staff grievances or workplace relationships.
Local HSW Safety Coordinator
- HSW coordinators can provide support or advice on matters related to work tasks or the workplace environment.
Sexual Misconduct Support Unit (SMSU)
- The SMSU is a safe and supportive place for the UQ community to receive guidance around sexual assault and sexual harassment.
Integrity Unit
- The Integrity Unit can assess, investigate and manage complaints or matters raised about the conduct of staff, including sexual misconduct, assault, serious breaches of policy and procedures.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- The EAP is available to UQ staff and provides free, confidential counselling support for personal or work-related matters.
Student services (Student counselling and support)
- Student counselling services provide free and confidential counselling to all UQ students currently enrolled and located in Australia.
Mental Health Champion Network
- Mental Health Champions are trained UQ staff members who can provide support and referral information about mental health and wellbeing.
Work Injury Management (WIM)
- WIM provide information on claiming Workers’ Compensation at UQ.